Cleft Palate Repair Residuals

DC 9901Dental/Oral38 CFR 4.150, DC 9901

Residual effects from surgical repair of a cleft palate, including speech problems, nasal air leakage when speaking, difficulty swallowing, and scarring. The VA rates this based on the functional impact on speech and eating.

How the VA rates this condition

The VA rates this condition based on how much it affects your ability to work and carry out daily activities. The examiner will focus on the functional limitations your condition causes, not just the diagnosis itself.

Diagnostic code

DC 9901

Rating range

0% – 30%

Rating levels

Rating criteria are defined in 38 CFR 4.150, DC 9901. This guide presents a plain-language summary and is not a substitute for the full regulatory text. Always consult a VSO or VA-accredited attorney for case-specific advice.

Rating Levels

Your cleft palate repair left severe residual effects including severely impaired speech, significant nasal regurgitation of food and liquids, and the defect is not correctable by further surgery or prosthetics.

What the VA looks for

Severe velopharyngeal insufficiency documented
Severely impaired speech intelligibility
Significant nasal regurgitation of food and liquids
Not correctable by additional surgery or prosthesis
Severe dietary limitation
Social and occupational impairment from speech deficit

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting a formal speech evaluation — a speech-language pathologist can objectively measure velopharyngeal insufficiency and speech intelligibility, which directly supports your rating.
⚠Not documenting nasal regurgitation — this common residual of cleft palate repair (food or liquid coming through the nose) is key evidence for higher ratings.
⚠Not connecting to military dental treatment that aggravated the repair — if dental work during service disrupted a prior palate repair, this establishes aggravation-based service connection.
⚠Not filing for separate conditions — hearing loss (from associated eustachian tube dysfunction) and dental conditions (from palatal defects) can each warrant their own rating.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Dental and Oral Conditions

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

How the VA rates this condition

Diagnostic code

DC 9901

Rating range

0% – 30%

Rating levels

Rating Levels

What the VA looks for

Severe velopharyngeal insufficiency documented
Severely impaired speech intelligibility
Significant nasal regurgitation of food and liquids
Not correctable by additional surgery or prosthesis
Severe dietary limitation
Social and occupational impairment from speech deficit

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting a formal speech evaluation — a speech-language pathologist can objectively measure velopharyngeal insufficiency and speech intelligibility, which directly supports your rating.

⚠Not documenting nasal regurgitation — this common residual of cleft palate repair (food or liquid coming through the nose) is key evidence for higher ratings.

⚠Not connecting to military dental treatment that aggravated the repair — if dental work during service disrupted a prior palate repair, this establishes aggravation-based service connection.

⚠Not filing for separate conditions — hearing loss (from associated eustachian tube dysfunction) and dental conditions (from palatal defects) can each warrant their own rating.